Tuesday, 2 April 2013

Riya Sen


Name           :   Riya Dev Varma
DOB            :   January 24, 1981 (age 28)
Born In        :   Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Occupation  :   Actor, model

Riya Sen (Bengali: রিয়া সেন; Hindi: रिया सेन, pron. [ˈrɪ.aː ˈʃeːn]) (born Riya Dev Varma on January 24, 1981) is an Indian film actress and model. Riya, who hails from a family of actors including her grandmother Suchitra Sen, mother Moon Moon Sen and sister Raima Sen, began her acting career in 1991 as a child artiste in the film Vishkanya. Her first commercial success in her film career was with Style, a 2001 Hindi low-budget sex comedy directed by N. Chandra. Some of her other films include producer Pritish Nandy's musical film, Jhankaar Beats (2001) in Hinglish, Shaadi No. 1 (2005) Malayalam horror film Ananthabhadram (2005).

Riya was first recognised as a model when she performed in Falguni Pathak's music video Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi at the age of sixteen. Since then, she has appeared in music videos, television commercials, fashion shows, and on magazine covers.

Riya has worked as an activist and appeared in an AIDS awareness music video with the aim of dispelling popular myths about the disease. She also helped raise funds for pediatric eye-care. Riya has faced controversies such as a MMS clip with actor Ashmit Patel, her semi-nude photograph on photographer Dabboo Ratnani's annual calendar and her on-screen kisses in a conservative Indian film industry.

Acting career
Riya first appeared as a child artist in the film Vishkanya in 1991, where she played the role of the young Pooja. At the age of 15, she did National Film Awards winning director Bharathiraja's Tamil film, Taj Mahal (2000), which did not achieve commercial success.[1] She was scheduled to make her Bollywood film debut in Love You Hamesha, opposite actor Akshaye Khanna; however, the film was stalled, and she finally made her debut in N. Chandra's Style in 2001.[2] This low-budget sex comedy[3][4] was the first commercial success in over a decade for the director.[5] A launch pad for Riya, cast in the female lead along with fellow-newcomers, Sharman Joshi, Sahil Khan and Shilpi Mudgal, the film pioneered a trend of commercial success for small budget films in India.[6][7] Riya and the second female lead of the film were replaced by aspirant actresses Sunali Joshi and Jaya Seal in Xcuse Me, the sequel of Style.[8][9]

Her next success was Jhankaar Beats, a comedy revolving around the music of legendary composer R D Burman, which saw her playing a small and glamorous role[10] alongside Shayan Munshi, Juhi Chawla, Rahul Bose, Rinke Khanna and Sanjay Suri. Produced by Pritish Nandy, publishing director of The Times of India,[11] the film was made on a budget of Rs. 25 million (US$525,000),[11] marking the sixth in a row of small to medium budget films made by Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC).[12] Despite being part of a wave of offbeat films that mostly failed to make an impact at the box office,[13][14] it drew public attention upon its release, which led to a commercial success among a restricted audience targeted by a selective release in twenty cities.[12][15] It was one of the first films made in Hinglish, a mixture of Hindi and English.[16][17] In 2005, she starred in Shaadi No. 1, which had no female lead.[18] This comedy, based on the theme of modern marriage, was directed by David Dhawan, a renowned film director from this genre.[19][20]

Although films like Style and Jhankar Beats succeeded commercially, most of her later films have generated less revenue.[21][22] A number of them remained unfinished. While many of her appearances have been item numbers and cameos,[23][24][25] few of her leading roles have been in low-budget films.[26] Though she had small roles in Dil Vil Pyar Vyar (2002), Qayamat (2003) and Plan (2004), attention was drawn to her item numbers in all three, especially the one in Qayamat that featured her in a bubble-bath.[21][27][28] Besides this, she performed another item number in James (2005) on director-producer Ram Gopal Varma's behest, who has a history of casting aspirant actress-models like Sameera Reddy, Isha Koppikar and Koena Mitra in similar roles.[29] Furthermore, she took part in a dance number for Sajid Khan's Heyy Babyy (2007) that featured several mainstream Bollywood actresses.[30]

Non-Hindi films

Riya has, in addition to Bollywood films, appeared in Bengali, Tamil,Telugu, Malayalam and English films. Her film career began in the earnest with Tamil films such as Bharathi Raja's Taj Mahal, co-starring Manjoj Bharatiraja in the male lead, and Manoj Bhatnaghar's Good Luck, oppsite Prasanth. Both of the films failed commercially, and she had a brief reappearance in Tamil cinema only to perform in a dance number for N. Maharajan's Arasatchi.[35][dead link]

Her first English language movie was It Was Raining That Night, a remake of the Bengali film Hei Brishtir Raat, scripted by Sudeshna Roy and directed by Mahesh Manjrekar. In the film, she collaborated with mother Moon Moon Sen.[36] Riya was slated to appear in Anjan Dutta's Bengali-English bilingual film The Bong Connection with her sister, but she was eventually dropped from the project and replaced by Peeya Rai Chaudhary.[37] The two sisters were later cast together in director Ajai Sinha's The Bachelor, a Bengali film that, as of 2008, is yet to be finished.[38]

Her most successful non-Hindi film has been director Santhosh Sivan's Ananthabhadram (2005). The first Malayalam venture for both Riya and Sivan,[39][40] was both a critical and commercial success. It won five Kerala State Film Awards[41] and surfaced as one of the biggest Malayalam successes that year.[31][32] She played the role of Bhama in the film, a village girl who is lured by Digambaran, the evil magician portrayed by Manoj K Jayan. In a song-and-dance sequence showing Digambaran turning Bhama into a medium for demonic rituals, the choreographer Aparna Sindoor made abundant use Kathakali movements.[42] The use of Kathakali has been a high point in the resurgence of the classical dance form in other major Indian films as well,[43] including Shaji Karun's Vanaprastham (1999) and Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair (2005).[44][45] She made her Telugu Debut with Nenu Meeku Telusa...?, in which she was paired opposite Manoj Manchu.

Modeling career
In the famous page of Dabboo Ratnani's calendar's 2004 edition.
Riya became a popular model when she appeared in numerous music videos for songs by popular singers, including Falguni Pathak's Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi (alternative title: Chudi Jo Khankayi), Asha Bhosle's Jhumka Gira Re, Jagjit Singh and Bhosle's Jab Samne Tum and Kahin Kahin Se, Lata Mangeshkar, Bhonsle and Singh's Dil Kahin Hosh Kahin, Sonu Nigam's Jeena Hai Tere Liye and Shaan's Sutta Maro. She shot for her first music video, Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi, at the age of sixteen.[46][47] This led to her being identified primarily as a performer for music videos early in her career,[48] an image she aimed to shed in 2005.[49] Riya has appeared on several magazine covers, including Femina, Elaan,[50] Man's World,[51] Gladrags, Savvy and Indian versions of Elle, Maxim and Cosmopolitan,[52] as well as on the ramp of major fashion shows like Lakmé Fashion Week (2005–07) and Wills Fashion Week (2006–2007). She participated in fashion shows along with her elder sister, Raima Sen.[53] Besides modeling, Riya has ventured into the advertisement world as well. A high point of her modeling career came in 2006, when she became the soft drink, Limca's brand ambassador, replacing Deepika Padukone.[54][55] Her other notable assignments include Colgate, Dabur Vatika, Reliance Industries, Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate, and Nirma.

In 2004, she was featured partially nude in leading Indian photographer Dabboo Ratnani's annual calendar, which is a major happening in the Indian glamor industry.[56][57] According to Daboo, "Her mother saw it much later, after the calendar released. She thought it was too sexy, and Riya shouldn't have done it. But the response to the photograph was superb. Riya was so thrilled that for her next ad campaign, she asked me to light her up like I did in this."[58] A career highlight for the model,[59] it led to a three year contract with Ratnani to feature her on his annual calendar.[60] She is the only female face to be featured on the calendar in five consecutive years (2003–07).[61][62]

Personal life and family
Born on January 24, 1981 in Kolkata, West Bengal, Riya is the daughter of Moon Moon Sen, a former actress,[21][63] and granddaughter of Suchitra Sen, a legend in Bengali cinema.[64] Before moving to Mumbai, she lived in Kolkata with her parents and sister Raima Sen, also an actress. Her father Bharat Dev Varma is a member of the royal family of Tripura.[65] Her paternal grandmother, Ila Devi, was the princess of Cooch Behar, whose younger sister Gayatri Devi was the Maharani of Jaipur.[65] Her paternal grandmother Indira was the only daughter of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda.[66][67] Riya's maternal great-grandfather Adinath Sen was a prominent Kolkata businessman, whose father Dinanath Sen - a relative of former Union Law Minister Ashoke Kumar Sen- was the Diwan or a Minister of the Maharaja of Tripura.[68] The sisters are credited on-screen under their grandmother's maiden name, although their official papers carry the surname Dev Varma.[69]

Riya completed her schooling at Loreto House and Rani Birla College, both in Kolkata.[65] Thereafter, she studied at the National Institute of Fashion Technology,[70] and she took up jewellery-designing as a hobby.[71] She designs most of the clothes that she wears in films and commercials.[72] Riya is trained in Kathak and is still pursuing it under Vijayshree Chaudhury [73] and kickboxing taking lessons (has completed the Level I of the 5 levels in belly dancing.[10][74] Riya entered the film industry through small-time modeling assignments, commuting between Mumbai and Kolkata and traveling by public transport during the her early career.[21][75][76] After breaking into the film industry, she shifted from her mother's house in Ballygunge Circular Road in south Kolkata to Mumbai.[77] There she moved into the family house in Juhu, where she stays with her sister.[76][78] During her stay in Mumbai, the media romantically linked her to model and actor John Abraham.[79] In the Bollywood press, she was, in 2008, speculatively linked to the novelist Salman Rushdie, although both stated that they were simply good friends.[80]

Riya has suffered a number of untimely incidents. During the filming of Shaadi No. 1 in France, she was knocked unconscious after being accidentally run over by a stuntman's motorbike, but she was not seriously injured.[81] Shortly before the release of Silsiilay, in which she starred opposite her boyfriend Ashmit Patel, a 90-second video clip was circulated through Multimedia Messaging Services and the internet, showing the pair in compromising situations.[53][82] This was one of a number of controversies that erupted when celebrities were caught in similar situations using cameraphones.[83][84] Following this incident, the couple split up,[85][86] although Riya denied that she was the girl in the MMS clip.[84] One commentator claimed that the footage was an orchestrated publicity stunt.[87] In 2007, she underwent a brief detoxification session in Bangkok for addiction to chocolate.[88]

Public persona
Riya's on-screen performances have established her as a sex symbol and youth icon in India.[10][89][90] Since entering the film industry, she has gained attention for wearing a bikini in Shaadi No. 1[91][92] and sharing on-screen kisses with co-stars Ashmit Patel in Silsiilay and Sharman Joshi in Style, respectively. Such performances garnered attention because of the relatively conservative outlook of Indian cinema and her own statements about such practises.[24][93][94] Before becoming a film identity, she had a reputation for partying, which started at the age of fifteen.[95][96] Riya's public persona is compared to her mother Moon Moon, who was seen as a sex symbol of her time,[53][97] while her sister Raima is mostly compared their grandmother Suchitra.[63][98]

Although her film career has yet to achieve large-scale success, Riya has generated considerable media attention. She was ranked ninth on Femina 50 Most Beautiful Women, published in the magazine's September 2007 issue. She was a jury member for the 2008 Final of the Mr. India contest.[99] Along with Bollywood actors such as Waheeda Rehman, Shilpa Shetty, Dia Mirza, Raveena Tandon, Jackie Shroff, Naseeruddin Shah, Tabu and Lara Dutta, Riya appeared in Haath Se Haath Mila, an HIV/AIDS awareness music video.[90][100] She made charity appearances at McDonald's India to raise money for paediatric eye-care during World Children's Week (November 14–20) in 2003.[101]

Filmography


  • Apna Sapna Money Money (2006) Announced
  • Anandabhadram (2005) (Riya Sen as Bhama) A Malayam Movie
  • Shaadi No. 1 (2005) (Riya Sen as Madhuri)
  • Tum..Ho Na! (2005) (Riya Sen as Reema)
  • James (2005) (Riya Sen in a Special appearance)
  • Silsiilay (2005) (Riya Sen as Anushka)
  • Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa (2004) (Riya Sen as Kamini in Special appearance)
  • Plan (2004) (Riya Sen as Shalini)
  • Qayamat: City Under Threat (2003) (Riya Sen as Sheetal)
  • Jhankaar Beats (2003) Riya as Preeti
  • Dil Vil Pyar Vyar (2002) Riya as Gaurav's girlfriend (Guest appearance)
  • Style (2001) (Riya as Sheena)
  • Love You Hamesha (1999) Riya as Meghna
  • Taj Mahal (1999) Tamil movie
  • Good Luck (1999) Tamil movie


Riya Sen Profile


Riya Sen

Date of Birth : 24 January, 1981
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
Height: 5'5"
Hair Color: Black
Birth Place: India
Marital Status: Single
Languages: Hindi, English
Father's Name: Cooch Behar
Mother's Name: Actress Moon Moon Sen
Sister: Raima Sen

Riya Sen Biography :

Riya Sen born on January 24th, 1981 in Kolkata is a renowned Indian actress and model. She is daughter of Moon Moon Sen and the grand daughter of Suchitra Sen, both ex-Bollywood actresses. Her father, Bharat Dev Varma hails from a royal family of Tripura. Her sister Raima Sen is also a film actress. A drop out from Rani Birla College, Riya also failed to continue her studies at the National Institute of Fashion Technology. Since her heart lay in Bollywood Riya Sen shifted to Mumbai in the fond hope of becoming numero uno in Bollywood. As the saying goes, 'like mother like daughter', Riya Sen too acquired the 'sex symbol' image in Bollywood just like her mother Moon Moon Sen, who is regarded as sexiest actress of her time. On the contrary, Raima Sen has acquired the image of a soft shy actress like her grandmother Suchitra Sen. Riya Sen first appeared as a child star in "Vishkanya" in 1991. It was in 1999, she finally became a full-fledged actress with a Tamil film, "Taj Mahal" in 1999 and followed it up with the "Good Luck" {2000}, another Tamil movie. She then made her Bollywood debut in 2001 with "Style" a wonderful comedy directed by N. Chandra, which became a blockbuster hit. Her other successful movies include "Saazish" {2003}, "Plan" {2004}, "Shaadi No.1" {2005}, "Tum...Ho Na!" {2005}, a Malayalam movie "Ananthabhadram" {2005}, and "Apna Sapna Money Money" {2006}, wherein she gave a commendable performance in each of the movies she acted and won the hearts of millions of moviegoers. Even in special appearance roles, Riya Sen left no stone unturned in giving out the best of performances. She has acted in Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and English language movies. The hot happening actress is awaiting the release of her movies "Hey Baby" and "Krrish 2", which she is expecting to be a further push to her already successful career. The dazzling sensuous beauty before venturing into the movies has done several commercial ad campaigns like Lakme, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Limca, Vatika, Margarita King, Colgate, and many more ads featuring in a number of leading magazines and television slots. The stunning sensuous Riya has also dabbled in music videos performing for the likes of Asha Bhonsle, Sonu Nigam, Falguni Pathak, and Jagjit Singh. She's also got the chance to sing along with the galaxy of stars in an anti-HIV/AIDS music video called, "Haath Se Haath Mila". She took the Bollywood by storm when she did a semi-nude photo shoot for Dabboo Ratnani's unique 2004 calendar. Even her mother, Moon Moon Sen, a former sex symbol herself has reportedly commented that the photo shoot was too sexy. But Riya had the last laugh as she went on to hog the limelight and a further three-year deal with Dabboo Ratnani to feature on his annual calendar from 2005-2007. Riya Sen not only acquired the image of a sex-queen; she is also famous for her onscreen kisses. When this delectable kissing queen lusciously kisses her co-stars onscreen she sends the hearts of her fans flutter in ecstasy as she did in "Style" and "Silsilay".

Riya Sen Filmography


Riya sen :



  • Apna Sapna Money Money (2006) (Riya Sen As Shivani)
  • Anandabhadram (2005) (Riya Sen as Bhama) A Malayam Movie
  • Shaadi No. 1 (2005) (Riya Sen as Madhuri)
  • Tum..Ho Na! (2005) (Riya Sen as Reema)
  • James (2005) (Riya Sen in a Special appearance)
  • Silsiilay (2005) (Riya Sen as Anushka)
  • Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa (2004) (Riya Sen as Kamini in Special appearance)
  • Plan (2004) (Riya Sen as Shalini)
  • Qayamat: City Under Threat (2003) (Riya Sen as Sheetal)
  • Jhankaar Beats (2003) Riya as Preeti
  • Dil Vil Pyar Vyar (2002) Riya as Gaurav's girlfriend (Guest appearance)
  • Style (2001) (Riya as Sheena)
  • Love You Hamesha (1999) Riya as Meghna
  • Taj Mahal (1999) Tamil movie
  • Good Luck (1999) Tamil movie


Tuesday, 9 October 2012

Riya Sen Bio data Riya sen Biography Riya sen Profile


Riya Sen Profile

Name : Riya Sen
Birth Name : Riya Dev Varma
Date of Birth : January 24, 1981
Birth of Place : Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Profession : Actress & Model
Height : 5’1″
Father : Bharat Dev Varma
Mother : Moon Moon Sen
Sister : Raima Sen (Actress)
School Days : Loreto House in Kolkata
College Days : Rani Birla College in Kolkata (Fashion Technology)
Favourite Actors : Sharuk khan, Salman Khan, Keanu Reeves
Favourite Actress : Aishwarya Rai
Hobbies : jewellery Designing
Trained in : Kathak, kickboxing, Belly dancing
Debut Film : “Love You Hamesha” (Hindi), Taj Mahal (Tamil)

Riya Sen Biography :
This gorgeous daughter of Bengali actress Moon Moon Sen first stepped under the arc lamps at the tender age of 15 when she faced the camera for the famous Tamil flick ‘Taj Mahal’, directed by Bharati Raja.

Riya Sen born as Riya Dev Varma on January 24th, 1981 in Kolkata, India is a promising Indian film actress and a former model. Widely regarded as the sexy star, Riya Sen has acted in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and English language movies.

Riya Sen was born in the family of actresses. She is the daughter of Moon Moon Sen and a grand daughter of Suchitra Sen. Both famous Indian actresses of yesteryears. Her sister Raima Sen is also a noted actress. Her father Bharat Dev Varma hails from the Royal family of Tripura. A drop out from college, Riya Sen studied for a while at the National Institute of Fashion Technology.

Riya Sen began her career as a child artist in film “Vishkanya” and bagged her major role at the age of fifteen in a Tamil movie, “Tajmahal” directed by Bharathiraaja. Her Bollywood debut began with a stalled movie, “Love You Hamesha” opposite Akshaye Khanna. Next “Style” (2001) came her way directed by N. Chandra, which became a box-office hit.

She acted in several movies thereafter such as “Dil Vil Pyar Vyar” (2002), “Jhankaar Beats” (2003), “Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha” (2004),”Tum… Ho Na”; “Silsiilay”, “Shaadi No. 1″ (All 2005 releases), “Apna Sapna Money Money” (2006), and “Hey Baby”, which is due for release. She has also acted in a Bangladeshi movie, “Money Porey Tomakey”. Her best film to date was “Ananthabhadram” (2005) directed by Santhosh Sivan.

Besides movies Riya Sen also appeared in several music videos gyrating her body to the popular tunes in the background. As a model, Riya Sen successfully endorsed several brands such as Margarita King, Limca, Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate, Colgate, Lakme and Vatika.

Riya Sen appeared partially nude in an Indian photographer Dabboo Ratnani’s annual calendar. It generated tremendous response to the calendar as the photograph was too sexy and she became the only female to appear on the calendar for four years continually from 2004 to 2007.

Although her film career has yet to achieve large-scale success, Riya has generated considerable media attention. She was ranked ninth on Femina 50 Most Beautiful Women, published in the magazine’s September 2007 issue. She was a jury member for the 2008 Final of the Mr. India contest. Along with Bollywood actors such as Waheeda Rehman, Shilpa Shetty, Dia Mirza, Raveena Tandon, Jackie Shroff, Naseeruddin Shah, Tabu and Lara Dutta, Riya appeared in Haath Se Haath Mila, an HIV/AIDS awareness music video. She made charity appearances at McDonald’s India to raise money for paediatric eye-care during World Children’s Week (November 14?20) in 2003.

Riya Sen Biography Photography



Biography :

Riya Sen the Bengali bomb shell. Riya comes from a family of bollywood actors right from her grand mother Suchitra Sen, her mother Moon Moon Sen and her sweet little sis Raima Sen. Riya was born in Kolkota on 24th January 1984. Riya started her acting career as a child artist in the film “Vishkanya“, but as the leading lady she was 1st seen in the successful low-budget sex comedy film “Style”, directed by N. Chandra. Peek a boo into our special photo gallery of the sexy, sensuous, hot and sultry Riya Sen with her killer looks. Read more about Riya Sen below.

Some of her other films include producer Pritish Nandy’s musical film, “Jhankaar Beats” in Hinglish, director David Dhawan’s comedy film, ” Shaadi No. 1″ and director-cinematographer Santhosh Sivan’s Malayalam horror film “Ananthabhadram”.

Riya was first recognised as a model when she performed in Falguni Pathak’s music video Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi at the age of sixteen. Since then, she has appeared in music videos, television commercials, fashion shows, and on magazine covers.

Riya has faced controversies such as a MMS clip with actor Ashmit Patel (Riya Ashmit MMS), her semi-nude photograph on photographer Dabboo Ratnani’s annual calendar and her on-screen kisses in a conservative Indian film industry.





Riya sen Biography


Riya Sen Biography :

Riya sen the hot girl cum actress in bollywood . her name will be headlined in every media almost every day. She born in filmy family . her mother (MUNMUNSEN) is a famous actress in bollywood in her time. She tells that her mother is more beautiful than her & her sister. She tells that her mother is her best friend .her mother gave freedom to Riya sen. She shares every thing to her mother.Riya says that she sings very well.she tells that oneday she wants to release her own Album. Riya says that she don’t want to change her Behavior when one billion dollar was come to her. She don’t want to marriage now she want to concentrates in her

Carrier
Gossips of Riya:

RELATION WITH SALMAN RASDHI

She says that salman was a good friend of her. She tells that there is nothing between her & salman rasdhi. when some rumors are spilting in media .her mother was interested in such rumors. she said that her mother studied the mazine & smiled . Riya said that she cant do any thing with that rumors because her mother was accepted that gossips.

About RIYA SEN

She is an good looking & hottest actress in Indian films. She demands 40-50 lacks per movie. Her sexy appeal was her eyes. Her moments and stills in songs & movies makes men’s interesting .she had a big fan following of men in world. Her bubbly & sexy looks add more beauty to her figure. All young one are crazy on Riya sen seens in movies & album songs.

Boigraphy Riya Sen


Biography :

Riya Sen (born Riya Dev Varma in Kolkata, India on January 24, 1981) is an Indian film actress and model. She is often regarded as a sex symbol.
Riya Sen is the grand daughter of Suchitra Sen, a legend in Bengali cinema, and daughter of Moonmoon Sen, a former actress. Before moving to Mumbai, she lived with her parents and sister Raima Sen, also an actress, in Kolkata. Her father Bharat Dev Varma belongs to the illustrious royal family of Tripura. Her paternal grandmother Ila Devi, was the princess of Cooch Behar, whose younger sister Gayatri Devi is the Maharani of Jaipur.[2] Before entering show business, she studied at Loreto House and Rani Birla College, both in Kolkata, but dropped out of both institutions.[2] She also briefly studied at the National Institute of Fashion Technology.[3] She also is trained in Kathak and kickboxing.[1] Since her Bollywood debut, she has moved from Kolkata to Juhu in Mumbai. Many have commented on the strong resemblance between her and her mother, Moonmoon Sen, a sex symbol in her time.[4] However, her sister Raima has a very different image from them both.[5]

Career
Acting
Riya Sen (as Bhama) and Manoj K Jayan (as Digambaran) in Ananthabhadram, directed by Santhosh Sivan
Riya Sen (as Bhama) and Manoj K Jayan (as Digambaran) in Ananthabhadram, directed by Santhosh Sivan
Riya Sen first appeared as a child artiste in the film Vishkanya, where she played the role of the young Pooja Bedi. At the age of 15 she was cast in a major role in Bharathiraaja's Tamil film Tajmahal. Her Bollywood film debut was supposed to have been in Love You Hamesha, opposite Akshaye Khanna, but the film was stalled and she ultimately made her debut in N. Chandra's low-budget comedy Style.
Though Style met with success at the box office, most of her other films have not done as well.[4] An exception was Jhankaar Beats, another comedy in which she co-starred with Shayan Munshi, Juhi Chawla, Rahul Bose, Rinke Khanna and Sanjay Suri. Most of her appearances have been item numbers and cameos. Her few leading roles have been in low-budget films.
Riya has also appeared in Bengali,Tamil, Telegu, Malayalam and even English films. She was slated to appear in Anjan Dutta's The Bong Connection, with her sister, but was eventually dropped from the project.[6] She was replaced by Peeya Rai Chaudhary.[7] It would have been the second time the two sisters acted together, after director Ajai Sinha's The Bachelor. She has also appeared in a Bangladeshi film, titled Money Porey Tomakey. Her most notable South Indian film to date has been director Santhosh Sivan's Ananthabhadram, which was also the director's first Malayalam venture. During the filming of Shaadi No. 1, she was hit by a motorbike, and supposedly had a near death experience.[8]

Modeling

Riya Sen in one of the better known pages of Dabboo Ratnani's trendsetting calendar's 2004 edition
Riya Sen in one of the better known pages of Dabboo Ratnani's trendsetting calendar's 2004 edition
Riya became a popular model when she appeared in numerous music videos for songs by popular singers, including Asha Bhonsle, Falguni Pathak, Jagjit Singh and Sonu Nigam. She was one of many Bollywood stars who appeared in Haath Se Haath Mila an anti-HIV/AIDS music video.
She is also an advertising model. A high point of her modeling career was when she replaced Lisa Ray as the Lakmé Girl, but she has since been replaced by Yana Gupta. Her other notable assignments include Colgate, Limca, Vatika, Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate, and Margarita King.
Riya has appeared on the cover of a number of magazines. In 2004, she was featured partially nude in leading Indian photographer Dabboo Ratnani's[10]annual calendar, which is a major happening in the Indian glamor industry.[11] In Daboo's words, "Her mother saw it much later, after the calendar released. She thought it was too sexy, and Riya shouldn't have done it. But the response to the photograph was superb. Riya was so thrilled that for her next ad campaign, she asked me to light her up like I did in this."[12] She is the only female face to be featured on the calendar on four consecutive years (2004-2007).

Controversies

Though the depiction of kissing on screen was (and still is, to some extent) considered inappropriate in India, Riya has regularly shared on-screen kisses with her co-stars (example Silsiilay and Style).[13]
Shortly before the release of her film Silsiilay in which she starred with boyfriend Ashmit Patel, a clip was circulated through Multimedia Messaging Services and the Internet, that showed the two in intimate situations.[14] This was one of a number of such controversies that erupted where celebrities were caught in compromising situations using cameraphones.[15] Shortly after this incident, the couple split up.[16] The actress has however denied that it was her in the MMS clip.